Aggies show knack for overcoming mistakes, but task gets tougher with LSU up next

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Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer

Texas A&M Aggies head coach Kevin Sumlin shares a laugh with Louisiana Tech Bulldogs head coach Sonny Dykes before a NCAA football game between Texas A&M and Louisiana Tech at the Independence Bowl in Shreveport on October 14, 2012. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News)

Of the myriad of exciting, groan-inducing, yawn-stifling plays Texas A&M and Louisiana Tech made in the madness of the Aggies’ 59-57 shootout win not long before 1 a.m. Sunday in Shreveport, several made by A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel still stick out.

There is the one that didn’t end up counting. It appeared running back Christine Michael may have fumbled near the goal line. Manziel chased down the Louisiana Tech player trying to the return the fumble, caught him and popped the ball loose. It turned out Michael was ruled down, but the image of No. 2 playing defense resonated.

Then there are the plays that have quickly typified Manziel’s six-game collegiate career. The big completions to freshman receiver Thomas Johnson immediately after Manziel threw a costly interception that the Bulldogs had turned into a touchdown and pulled within two. The likely game-saving 72-yard touchdown run that no one is quite sure how Manziel, who broke his own SEC and A&M records with 576 yards of total offense, pulled off on third-and-long.

“We’ve come to get used to that,” A&M coach Kevin Sumlin said.

But the Aggies (5-1), who moved up two spots to No. 20 Sunday in The Associated Press poll, also have to be wary of another trend.

While they’ve unearthed ways to win each of the last two weeks, they’ve ended up exuding relief and talking about fixing mistakes afterward. With what’s ahead, they know there is little room for error. No. 6 LSU (6-1) visits Kyle Field at 11 a.m. Saturday as the Aggies return to SEC play.

A&M doesn’t expect to be able to pull off the same hijinks it did in coming back from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit at Ole Miss or in holding off the rapidly scoring Bulldogs, who managed all 57 points in the last three quarters and almost erased a 27-0 A&M lead.

“We didn’t play really smart football,” said senior center Patrick Lewis, “made a lot of mistakes that we need to correct before going into the really big-time football we’ve got coming up.”

Still A&M, winner of five straight, does draw some confidence from being able to scratch out wins.

“We’ve been in worse positions before this,” junior defensive end Damontre Moore recalled. “Remember what we did and remember what we can do.”

The Bulldogs entered Saturday’s game ranked third in the Football Bowl Subdivision in scoring offense. Even so, their ability to score almost at will and broken tackles were still troubling. A&M had no answer for senior receiver Quinton Patton.

Special team gaffes — a missed fourth-quarter extra point attempt for the second straight week and the failure to recover Louisiana Tech’s onside kick late — overshadowed the unit’s many successes.

A&M had to go deep into its receiving corps with senior Ryan Swope knocked out of the game by an illegal hit early on. His status for LSU has not been updated — and Sumlin typically isn’t forthcoming regarding injuries.

“We would love to have Ryan,” Sumlin said. “Obviously we’re a better football team when Ryan’s playing.”

Then there’s the glaringly ugly stat: 19 penalties for 165 yards.

“I’ve never, ever, been part of a football game with that many penalties,” Sumlin said.

All of it needs addressing before the arrival of the Tigers, coming off a statement-making rebound win over South Carolina. With Manziel earning national acclaim — being named offensive player of the week Sunday by the Walter Camp Football Foundation — he won’t exactly go unnoticed by LSU’s defense. The Tigers rank second in the FBS in pass defense and total defense, sixth in rushing defense and eighth in scoring defense.

Asked about LSU following the Louisiana Tech win, Sumlin summed up the week ahead.

“I got my own problems,” he said. “I’m just happy we’re going to get back to Kyle Field to play.

“Our guys will respond. There are some things in that locker room right now, we’re happy we won but we’re not overjoyed. We played a good football team, but we could play better. We’ll get that done this week.”

Follow Kate Hairopoulos on Twitter at @khairopoulos

A&M-Louisiana Tech by the numbers

2 Failed two-point conversions by Louisiana Tech in the fourth quarter that would’ve tied the score

2 500-plus yard games by redshirt freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel, who became the first SEC player to have multiple 500-yard performances in a season (576 vs. LA Tech; 557 vs. Arkansas).

6 Collegiate games played by Manziel

116 Combined points by the two teams, the most in A&M history, surpassing the points scored in the Aggies’ 110-0 win over Daniel Baker in 1920.

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